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Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus: Everything we know so far (Updated)

In this post, which will be updated regularly, we take a closer look at the latest rumors surrounding Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus smartphones.

Update, 12/11/2017: The Korea Herald has added to the speculation of the Galaxy S9’s improved iris scanning technology with some new details. According to the website, citing a source familiar with the matter, the Galaxy S9’s iris scanning lens will be upgraded from 2 MP to 3 MP to help it better identify users irises.

This will help the S9’s scanner superior performance in very bright or very dark environments, when users are wearing glasses, and when they are moving their eyeballs. Additionally, The Korea Herald reaffirmed rumors that iris scanner would operate faster on the S9 compared to its previous iterations.

With speculation regarding the faster, more accurate scanner stacking up, it looks like this could be one of the more accurate Galaxy S9 rumors we’ve happened upon lately; check out the others below.

Previous coverage, 12/04/2017: The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are among the best smartphones you can get. They offer gorgeous bezel-less designs, sexy curved displays, and top-of-the-line specs. But they do have their faults we hope Samsung will address with their successors. These include the weirdly positioned fingerprint scanner, the lack of dual-cameras, an easily-fooled facial recognition system, and more. Fixes for all of these, and new features, could be part of the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus.

Samsung hasn’t shared any details about the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus with the public yet. But we have come across a lot of reports and leaks that give us a good idea of what to expect in terms of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus’ specs, features, design, price, and more. If you’re interested in learning more about the two new powerhouses from Samsung, keep reading. You’ll find all the latest Galaxy S9 rumors below.

Samsung Galaxy S9 release date

A report back in September suggested the Galaxy S9 duo could make their debut in January. But a more recent report tells us a different story.

According to Venture Beat, Samsung’s upcoming flagships are “scheduled to make their first public appearance” at CES in Las Vegas in early January. But the company is still expected to hold an Unpacked event in March, where the two handsets will be officially announced.

There’s no word on how much info Samsung will share about the Galaxy S9 smartphones in Sin City. Our best guess is the company might tease them with a short video and even announce their reveal date. But we likely won’t see the two devices in the flesh or hear specific info regarding the Galaxy S9’s specs, features or price…

If Samsung does announce the two devices in March, they will likely go on sale a month later. Samsung used the same strategy last year that worked great based on the Galaxy S8’s sales numbers.

Samsung Galaxy S9 specs and features

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus won’t be major upgrades over their predecessors.

According to a report from Venture Beat, they will come with the same curved displays as the Galaxy S8 series. This means we’ll see 5.8- and 6.2-inch Super AMOLED panels with QHD+ resolution and an 18.5:9 aspect ratio.

To recall, the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are identical except for screen and battery sizes. Things may be different when it comes to their successors, as we can expect to see more differences. The Galaxy S9 is said to have 2 GB of RAM more than its smaller brother (6 GB vs 4 GB). It might also feature a dual-camera setup, while the S8 should only have a single shooter on the back. Rumors also claim the camera could capture videos at 1,000 fps for those super slow motion shots. But there’s no word if this applies to both models.

Both devices will be powered by the same chipset. They should come with either the Exynos 9810 or the unannounced Snapdragon 845, depending on the region. The report also mentions 64 GB of storage, a microSD card slot, and a new location for the fingerprint scanner.

No, it won’t be embedded into the display. Word on the street is that under-display fingerprint scanners aren’t ready yet and that the first Samsung device to get it will be the Note 9.

Editor's Pick

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus: Everything we know so far (Updated)

Update, 12/11/2017: The Korea Herald has added to the speculation of the Galaxy S9's improved iris scanning technology with some new details. According to the website, citing a source familiar with the matter, the Galaxy S9's …

The Galaxy S9 smartphones will still sport fingerprint scanners on the back, but they won’t sit right next to the camera like on their predecessors. Instead, they’ll likely be located below the cameras, in the middle of the devices. This is fantastic news, as the scanner’s location on the S8 is one of its biggest drawbacks. Not only does it look weird, it’s also impractical.

According to Business Korea, Samsung will stick with the same 2D facial recognition software found on the Galaxy S8. The company has decided to ignore 3D technology due to “technological limitations” and concerns over user security. But the facial recognition feature, as well as the iris scanner, could get a small upgrade — both security options should be faster.

When it comes to software, Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus will run Android Oreo with Samsung’s Experience UI on top. Bixby, which made its debut on the Galaxy S8 series, should also be on board, probably in an enhanced form.

The upcoming handsets are said to feature AKG stereo speakers and ship with a free pair of AKG headphones in the box. We also expect to see the same IP68 rating for protection against dust and water as on the S8 and a larger battery.

Samsung Galaxy S9

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Display

5.8-inch 18.5:9 Super AMOLED
2960 x 1440 resolution
570 ppi

6.2-inch 18.5:9 Super AMOLED
2960 x 1440 resolution
529 ppi

Processor

Qualcomm 845 or Exynos 9810

Qualcomm 845 or Exynos 9810

RAM

4 GB

6 GB

Storage

64 GB

64 GB

MicroSD

Yes, up to 256 GB

Yes, up to 256 GB

Camera

A single rear camera

Dual rear cameras

Software

Android Oreo
Samsung Experience

Android Oreo
Samsung Experience

Headphone jack

Yes

Yes

Water resistance

IP68

IP68

Design

The Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus will reportedly very similar to their predecessors with a few exceptions.

Sam Mobile reports the handsets will have even smaller bezels below and above the display. The screen-to-body ratio could be as high as 90 percent, which is roughly six percentage points more than on the S8 series. This will make the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus even more compact, although the difference won’t be huge.

Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus concept

Except for the smaller bezels, nothing will change up front. But we do expect to see changes on the back. The design should be different because of the fingerprint scanner’s new location. The backs of the two smartphones also won’t look identical because of the Galaxy S9 Plus’ dual-camera setup.

Images of the two devices haven’t leaked yet, but a fan-made render based on the latest rumors gives us a good idea of what the Galaxy S9 Plus could look like — check it out below.

Having the same design as their predecessors isn’t a bad thing. The Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are gorgeous devices that look and feel premium. The two smartphones have been well-received by users, so there’s no real reason to drastically change their design.

They might not be to everyone’s taste, mainly due to the glass back. It’s a fingerprint magnet and not as strong as metal, but it does allow for wireless charging.

Price

The Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus launched at $725 and $825, making them more expensive than their predecessors. Even though the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus likely won’t offer a lot more than the S8 series, rumors claim they might come with higher price tags.

If prices do increase, we’ll likely see a domino effect. The fact is that Samsung dictates pricing with its Galaxy S series. If the S9 will cost more, we can expect devices like the LG G7, Huawei P11, and HTC U12 to come with higher price tags as well.

Keep in mind that nothing has been confirmed yet. It’s still possible we won’t see a price hike and that the Galaxy S9 handsets will cost the same as their predecessors. What we can be sure of is that they won’t be cheaper.